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Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell

Overview

If the silent shadowy world of international espionage is calling your name, Splinter Cell is the game to answer that call.

The master of modern-day espionage Tom Clancy, brings the covert world of NSA Operative Sam Fisher out of the shadows and onto your PS2. As part of a top secret, 'non-existent' initiative within the NSA you are a one-man intelligence gathering unit designed to be small, sharp and nearly invisible. A Splinter Cell. Using hi-tech equipment, advanced stealth techniques and your deadly military training, you (as Sam) face your ultimate challenge as a rogue nation embarks on a course of computer terrorism against the USA. Find them, observe them, remove them.

Following hot on the heels of The Sum of All Fears game and Ghost Recon, Clancy once again brings us a third-person, tactical shooter. But don't be fooled into thinking this is another squad-based, special forces clone. This time you're on your own and stealth and brainpower replaces team-tactics and firepower. In a game more reminiscent of MGS2 than Conflict Desert Storm, you tiptoe your way through 11 challenging missions ranging from infiltrating CIA Headquarters to triggering a meltdown in a powerplant.

As a lone operative against a veritable army of terrorists, you must use the cover of darkness and absolute silence to keep your presence undetected. The stunning graphics deal with lighting in a revolutionary way and if you keep still and quiet in a dark area guards can walk right past you. Use the darkness to your advantage by shooting out lights and cameras and switching to your low-light goggles or heat-sensitive vision mode. This latter view allows you to see through doors and walls and observe the heat signatures of the occupants to plan you insertion into the room.

You can access a huge array of weapons and gadgets to help you through the mission unscathed and undetected. Silenced weapons, grenades and non-lethal rounds mean that any opposition or would-be witnesses can be neutralised from the shadows. Fill your belt pouches with all manner of groovy espionage equipment including a fibre optic camera for snooping under doors and into rooms, a vibration sensitive lockpick and a sticky camera you can shoot onto walls to peek around corners.

As well as technology, you are physically trained to cope with the rigours of counter-terrorism. Climb, zip-line, brachiate, wall-sneak and even do the splits between two walls Leon-style to ensure you remain 100% invisible.

In the stealth 'em up world of MGS2, Tenchu and Hitman, a new player has silently entered the fray. Sam Fisher takes all that is good in this sneaky genre and adds in believable scenarios, fully interactive environments and more suspense than a Hitchcock double-bill. If the silent shadowy world of international espionage is calling your name, Splinter Cell is the game to answer that call.

One of the most eagerly awaited games on any platform

Thechno-thriller story based in the shadowy world of best-selling author Tom Clancy

Instinctive use of shadows, cover and sound

Use acrobatics, gadgets and weapons to out-manoeuvre, out-think and out-gun the opposition